W-what… what are you doing here?

The girl's shoulders stiffened, and though the sounds of her sobbing stopped she did not turn to look at Inyssa. There was an air of fear around her. As though by wrapping herself in it she could have willed herself and the whole world away. Inyssa couldn't help but find it strangely familiar.

Are you okay? Here, let me…

But before she could try to figure out how to help up someone while being incorporeal, the girl jumped like a startled Glameow grabbed by the tail, almost crashing against the wall of smoke with how fast she scrambled to get away from her.

"G-get away! Don't touch me!"

She stopped with her back to the smoke, a mess of white hair falling over her face. The rhythm of her breathing was erratic and her eyes were firmly set on Inyssa, their pale blue surrounded by sclera that were a bright yellow, giving them a rather alien look. They were hard to look at, so much so that Inyssa found herself staring at the floor in front of the girl's feet instead, thinking of what to say.

H-hey, don't be afraid. I know I must look weird right now but…

"Shut up! Don't talk to me!"

Even without a body, Inyssa felt herself raise an eyebrow.

…I want to help you.

"H-h-help? A-are you serious?" The girl placed a closed fist in front of her chest, voice shaking badly. "Y-you're the one they were looking for. If it weren't for you they w-wouldn't have captured me o-or used me to attract you and your friend. It's… all your fault."

The glowing wisps that formed Inyssa's consciousness lashed a few inches around her, white mist starting to pool and spin at her feet.

My fault? Is it my fault that I was kidnapped?

A yelp left the girl's mouth. She shrunk into herself until the tips of her shoulders were almost touching her ears.

"That's not… I didn't mean to…" She looked down, lower lip shaking. "I'm sorry. P-please… just leave me alone. Please."

The mists settled, flowing naturally as they'd done a few seconds ago. However, Inyssa said nothing. What was this girl's deal? Not only did she somehow materialize herself inside the mind-scape while retaining her appearance but her body didn't seem at all affected by the terrible cold outside, not to mention her bizarre appearance. There was something… wrong about her. Around her body, the mists parted and flowed outwardly, as though avoiding her.

Wait… avoiding her?

A thought came to her. She remembered what Uxie had said back then about her mind being her domain, and all within being hers to command, within reason. If that was true…

Inyssa raised her shapeless hand, and at once the mists curled around the girl. At first nothing happened, but the moment the first wisp touched her body her whole form shifted and blurred like a static image in a malfunctioning television. And, for only a second, another shape took its place. A small white creature, most of its body seemingly made of opaque ice. Arm-like ribbons grew from her white mask and the soft blue patterns on her skin, along with the red sash tied around her waist, almost made it look as though the creature wore a kimono.

The girl's form returned, and she gasped, swiping at the air with her hand and pushing the mists away.

Inyssa stared in disbelief. For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

You're… a Pok-

"No!" The scream made the whole mind-scape shake, mists clearing away by its force. "I'm not… I'm… a person. I'm me! I'm not… I'm not…"

As she said that her voice broke more and more until her words were indistinguishable from her sobs. She held her face in her palms, shoulders shaking violently. Even though Inyssa was without her body, she could have sworn that she felt a chill up her spine at the sight of her.

What happened to you?

The girl's hands clawed at her tufts of hair, hiding most of her face from view. The one eye she had visible was firmly set on Inyssa, glaring.

"W-why should I tell you? I see the way you're l-looking at me."

…What do you mean? I'm incorporeal.

"You know what I mean!" she swiped at the air with one hand. "I c-can feel it… you're looking at me l-like I'm a monster."

The white of your eyes is fucking yellow and we found you in the middle of a blizzard dressed with summer clothes. What did you expect?

"Fuck you!"

I don't have the time to be very compassionate right now, Inyssa protested, almost rolling her eyes. Besides, you're hardly the weirdest person I've come across. Hell, just look at me. My eyes shine like gold and I'm talking to you with a body made of… mind mist, or whatever the hell this is. I won't judge you, I just want to know what your deal is.

The girl opened her mouth to reply, but said nothing. The panic and fear in her face had been momentarily replaced with irritation, and she looked as though she was considering what Inyssa had said.

The more I know, the easier this will be. I have to find a way to save my friend and myself, and if you help me out you'll be more than welcome to come along.

She shook her head. "T-there's no way… you can't escape. Neither of us can."

I'll take that with a grain of salt since you seem to be the pessimist type, said Inyssa. At least tell me who you are. What's the harm in that?

It took some time, but finally the girl shook her head in what might have been a nod.

"It's… not a pretty story."

I'm not asking it to be. I just want the truth.

"…"

When she spoke, her voice sounded nothing like before. Cold and controlled, though somewhat slow, like she was having trouble recalling it properly.

"I… ran from home. If I'd waited a few more weeks I might've gotten my trainer license but… I couldn't. I had to get out as soon as possible." Her eyes narrowed. "I was trying to make my way to Eterna… I think. Might have been another city. I imagine it was Eterna though, since it's the closest one to Snowpoint. Couldn't bring much with me since I left in a hurry but… I managed to get enough, I think. For Holst and me, at least."

Holst?

A shadow fell over the girl's expression, eyes staring blankly for a moment.

"My partner. He was a Piloswine." A bitter smile formed on her lips. "I say partner, but he was really a pet. Never got my license. Still, he was strong. I thought, together, we might've been able to get to Eterna before the really bad blizzards started." The smile disappeared. "Turns out it was the wild Pokemon we should've worried about."

Why did you go through the forest? she asked. And… sorry if it's a sensitive topic, but why did you need to leave so badly?

"They… I wasn't really… welcome in home anymore. But they still wanted me there. Makes no sense, right?" She shrugged absentmindedly, hugging herself with one arm. "I couldn't take it. And I knew that they'd contact the Rangers of the W.P.R.P as soon as I escaped and tell them to keep an eye out for us, so I couldn't go through the usual path. Should've realized what a stupid idea it was before even attempting it." She shook her head. "We were ambushed by a group of Sneasel a third of the way through. Not very strong, but they were fast and we didn't see them coming. There's nothing Holst could have done."

Inyssa said nothing. The dots had started to connect in her mind, forming a picture that almost made her wish she hadn't asked for this story.

"I was really relieved when I woke up. Relieved… and confused. I could've sworn one of the Sneasel had gotten a hit on me before I passed out, but I couldn't see any wound or scratch on me. I… also didn't notice the cold anymore. That should've tipped me off," she said bitterly. "Holst was resting not too far away from where I woke up. Wounded, but still alive. I… I rushed over to him and didn't even notice how fast I moved nor that I didn't feel my feet hitting the ground and… when I tried t-to touch him, my hand…"

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It passed right through him, didn't it?

She nodded, though it could have simply been a spastic shake of the head. Her fingers curled into fists over the fabric of her kimono.

"My body w-was under him. He'd protected it from the Sneasel a-and refused to leave its side." Inyssa heard another sob behind the curtain of hair covering her face, and a second after the girl wiped her eyelids with the back of her hand. "Even so, he had no problem recognizing me in my… new form. Before I even learned how to look like this." She looked down at her hand, eyes dull and wet with tears. "In life… I would've given anything to look like this. And… I guess I did give up everything. Should've probably phrased my wish better, eh?"

The girl's shoulders twitched in a way that seemed to say 'Oh well, what can you do', and slumped back, sighing. The swirling mist forming Inyssa didn't move or change. She felt like her non-existent tongue was tied into a knot. What could she possibly say to a story like that? What kind of reassurance or kind words could she provide to such succinct proof that death had such a fucked up sense of irony?

She'd heard stories of ghost Pokemon that had once been human. With some species-specific exceptions, they were supposed to be incredibly rare, born only of very specific circumstances involving certain emotions being felt in certain places as the person passed away. Personally, Inyssa had never given the notion much credit. The idea that a person's spirit could remain trapped in this world even after death… it seemed too morbid to be true, too cruel. And yet…

I know it might sound like condescension, but I'm sorry.

A low chuckle left her lips. She shook her head, grabbing onto her hair with one hand.

"It's okay. You sound like you actually care." She closed her eyes tightly. "I… talking about it helped, I think. I'm feeling a bit calmer."

I'm glad. There was a pause. What could she say, other than ask more questions? After that, you were captured by Team Galactic?

"Yeah. We were about to head back to Snowpoint with Holst when they found us," she said. "He tried to protect me but they shot him twice on the side. Guess they didn't need a Pokemon like him." For the first time the yellow of her eyes flashed with anger, and Inyssa swore she felt something like cold taking over the mists. "A… whatever I am, is probably a lot more useful, I'm guessing."

That scream was yours. They used you as a distraction to lure us in.

The girl sneered. "I wasn't acting. That feathery asshole used some weird dark move to make me scream like that."

Fucking hell…

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged. "I'm already dead. What's some mild torture compared to that?"

And, just like that, all the sympathy Inyssa had garnered for Pyxis and the other Galactic grunts evaporated almost completely. Mist curled violently around her weightless body. Its white pulsed with a powerful light, wisps of anger spiraling out of her like crackles of lighting, disappearing as soon as they made contact with the walls of smoke surrounding them.

However, this wasn't just a Team Galactic thing. She'd seen it countless times. People… even those most would consider good people, sometimes failed to care at all for the lives and well-being of Pokemon. To them, humans always came first. That selfishness, that belief that each species, hell, each person, should care for themselves first and foremost, had always made Inyssa sick to her stomach. Still. It's not like she could do much, considering most of the world thought like that.

"Hey…"

Inyssa looked down, finding a pair of soft blue eyes fixed on her. The girl pursed her lips, hesitant, before speaking again.

"You want me to help you, right?"

The question caught her off guard. I… well-

"It's fine. You're not selfish; you listened to my story and wanted to help me from the beginning. But… I can tell that you're impatient." She formed a sad smile. "You're desperate to save your friend, but you can't do that without using me."

…I'm sorry.

"I said it's fine," she frowned. "I don't really know how to use… well, any attack or do any weird Pokemon stuff, but I'll try my best to distract that Honchkrow for as long as I can." Her eyes narrowed. "I heard what that Pyxis girl said. You're some kinda weird psychic, right? How much time do you need?"

Heh. Yeah, something like that, said Inyssa, a smile in her voice. I shouldn't need too long. Enough to free myself and find my Pokeballs.

Though, of course, even that might not be enough, Inyssa thought. She remembered that strange beeping sound they'd heard before being zapped, and the way their Pokemon had been forced to go back into their balls. Did Team Galactic really possess that kind of technology? If so, finding Barry and teleporting out might be the best option.

No, she'd think about that when it came up. Right now…

Don't push yourself too hard, she pleaded. We're taking you with us when we escape, got it?

An inquisitive eyebrow was raised her way. "Yeah because I have such a life ahead of me, right?"

She probably hadn't intended her comment to sound so bitter, judging by the way her expression froze right after saying it. Biting her lip, she looked down, avoiding her gaze. Inyssa recognized the look on her face without a problem.

This Holst… you said he was shot twice? Inyssa asked. Two puncture wounds on the right side of his body, one close to his front leg and the other beside his ribs?

Her eyes went wide and she looked up so fast her neck clicked. "How do you know that?"

We found him near the entrance to the forest, said Inyssa, trying to imbue a smile into her voice. My friend tended to his wounds and put him inside a Pokeball. He'll be fine as long as we get to a Pokemon Center soon.

For a moment it looked as though the girl had difficulty speaking. "H-he's… alive?"

Also… Inyssa added, lifting an invisible finger. My mom's dating Fantina, the ghost expert and Gym leader of Hearthome City.

"Er… good for you?"

As such, Inyssa continued, I'm sure she's seen cases like yours a hundred times before. If you want, I could ask her to take a look at you and… see if there's anything to be done, you know? Or at least find a way to live the way you are, as comfortably as possible.

The girl said nothing, her expression unreadable. She looked out of words.

There's always a little bit of hope left. Inyssa extended her weightless hand toward her. As long as you have someone waiting for you to get up and keep going… I think you should always do it. Even if that someone is yourself.

She looked down, face momentarily hidden by the shadow of her hair, and smiled. Then, without hesitation, she reached over to take Inyssa's hand.

It passed right through.

Ah…

"Yeah, uh…"

Incorporeal. Forgot for a second.

Her cheeks bloated as she tried to contain laughter. "Uh… no problem. Here, I can..."

Placing her hand against the ground, she pushed herself up with such fluid movements that it looked as though her whole body were made of water, the white of her hair floating weightlessly behind her like a puffy cloud. Until she stood up to her full height, Inyssa hadn't realized just how tall she was. Tall and…

The girl flashed her a genuine smile. Inyssa felt relieved that her mind-scape form couldn't blush.

"Thanks. For what you said. It helped," she said, expression turning softer. "It was really cheesy, though."

Yeah. It's an annoying habit I picked up from my dumbass boyfriend.

She raised an eyebrow. "The blonde guy that was with you? The one we have to save?" Pursing her lips, she nodded. "He's cute."

And taken, Inyssa reminded her.

"A shame."

You could say that… er… Of course. How could she have forgotten. I'm really sorry. What's… your name?

The question seemed to surprise her. She blinked a few times, a pensive look on her face.

"You know… I always loved the name Vi," she said. "But I was never brave enough to take it in life."

Short but sharp, and it packs a bit of a punch. I think it suits you, she said. That's what second chances are for, right? Doing the stuff you were too afraid to do before.

"Second chance… right." She nodded to herself, the first hint of determination flashing behind her eyes. "Vi it is, then."

Inyssa. It's a pleasure.

Vi's arm twitched, as though she'd been about to shake her hand, only to realize how fruitless that would have been a moment after. A pale blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Alright Inyssa… ready to do something really stupid?"

Always.

----------------------------------------

Pyxis' irritated mutters were swallowed by the roar of the blizzard, still deafening even here, surrounded by so many enormous trees. The wind cut into the blanket of snow covering the ground beneath her feet, carving unrecognizable patterns into the forest and unearthing small chunks of white, sending them up into the air with enough strength to make them fly for a few seconds.

Her shoulders shook almost as much as the branches above. In order to stop her teeth from clattering she'd pursed her lips strongly, their skin dry and flaking off the more time she spent outside.

The Sinnohan winter truly was a bitch. Still, better than being inside that tent with her.

"Asta, come on…" She frowned at her Poketch as though it were responsible for her current situation. "It's been almost half an hour. Where the hell are you?"

She'd known the woman to be eccentrically stoic even for a member of Team Galactic, but at the very least she would've thought that such a shitty personality would have also come with a sense of responsibility and punctuality. What was the point otherwise? And to think she'd started to respect her…

The boss does so much for us, she thought bitterly. The least she could do is work hard for him and his cause.

Regardless, Asta's tardiness wasn't such a big deal in the big scheme of things. Inyssa was tied up, her powers blocked. This time there would be no possible escape for her. This time, she would receive the punishment she so badly deserved.

Pyxis' fingers curled into fists, her expression nothing like a smile.

Please. I just want to talk…

The girl's voice boomed in her head. She felt blood rise to her cheeks.

A bit too late for that, she thought. Having the chance to explain herself taken from her… that was the very reason Pyxis hadn't been able to become a trainer all those months ago. And now Inyssa, someone with the same look as the spoiled brat who'd taken her dream from her, would go through the same thing Pyxis had, losing everything in the process. The irony was almost enough to make her smile. Almost.

Her eyes narrowed into slits, the roar of the wind deafening her to everything around her.

She should have been happy. Finally, after so many long weeks of waiting, she would get revenge on the one responsible for Auriga's death. The very poster child of modern trainers. It was the best opportunity she would ever get to take from the world what it had taken from her. Why, then…?

Pyxis clutched at her chest, mist leaving her lips as she sighed. Why then, did her shoulders felt as though they weighed twice as usual?

It almost felt like…

Spica's scream tore through the air, jolting her back to reality. Heart in her throat, she turned on the ball of her feet and squinted as a flash of blue almost blinded her. Through her blurry vision she noticed Honchkrow flying up from the now broken tent, a few of his frozen feathers falling to the ground with the weight of stones. A white, shining figure flew after him, wisps of frozen wind spiraling around its body.

"What…?"

Another figure approached from the tent's entrance, strands of black hair flying behind her like shapeless tendrils of smoke and ash. Her face was pale like the snow under her feet and her eyes gleamed a strong gold, crackles of what sounded like electricity flashing behind them. A ring of rope rested on her right hand.

Pyxis' mouth gaped. "You…"

Inyssa's lips quirked up in what could have been either a smile or simply a twitch of her face. Unlike the golden strength behind her eyes, the rest of her body looked pale and weightless.

"Hey," she said, voice devoid of energy. "I'm really sorry about this, but I'm gonna have to tie you up for a bit. Gotta save my boyfriend and my new ghost friend."

And with that, she began running toward her.